1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flat circuit arranged in a vehicle such as an automobile.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 5 shows a flat circuit 1 in Japanese Patent Application No. 11-5315 which was filed by the Applicant on Jan. 12, 1999.
The above described flat circuit 1 has been proposed as a circuit structure which can be easily fitted to a vehicle body of an automobile or the like, and has a high allowability of wiring pattern. The flat circuit 1 includes a plurality of electric wires 2 as conductors and an insulating covering 3 in a strip shape which is formed of resin material covering the electric wires 2 by insert molding.
A plurality of the electric wires 2 are flexible and arranged in parallel to one another. The insulating covering 3 has at least on a front face side a plurality of conductor exposing windows 4 through which the electric wires 2 are exposed. The conductor exposing windows 4 are provided at an equal distance in a wiring direction of the electric wires 2.
Accordingly, the flat circuit 1 is so constructed that the flat circuit 1 is deformable along a configuration of the above described vehicle body or the like by bending the electric wires 2, and an electric power, for example, can be branched to various places through the conductor exposing windows 4.
Reference numeral 5 designates reinforcing members respectively provided on both sides of the insulating covering 3 for preventing the electric wires 2 from being damaged when the flat circuit 1 is bent many times.
However, in case where an auxiliary component is electrically connected from outside through an engaging hole formed in an instrument panel, after the flat circuit 1 is arranged inside the instrument panel in the vehicle, for example, there have been such drawbacks as described below.
In case where the auxiliary component is coupled to the flat circuit 1 by means of a connector of the auxiliary component (mating connector), a shortage of engagement in coupling with the flat circuit 1 must be prevented, and the auxiliary component must be pushed in beyond an engaging stroke of the connector. Accordingly, there has been a fear that the flat circuit 1 or the instrument panel may be broken or damaged especially in case where the flat circuit 1 is rigidly mounted inside the instrument panel.
The present invention has been made in view of the above described circumstances, and it is an object of the invention to provide an improved flat circuit which can be reliably connected to the mating connector.
In order to solve the above described problem, there is provided, according to the present invention, a flat circuit which comprises a plurality of flexible conductors which are arranged in parallel to one another, an insulating covering in a shape of a strip formed of insulating material so as to cover a plurality of the conductors by insert molding and extending in a direction of wiring the conductors, the flat circuit being deformable by bending the conductors, a plurality of conductor exposing parts provided on at least either one of a front face and a rear face of the insulating covering at desired distances in the wiring direction, through which the conductors are adapted to be exposed, a free end formed at one end of the flat circuit and extending for a desired length from an end edge in the wiring direction so as to be elastically deformable in a direction perpendicular to the wiring direction, and a connector provided on at least one of the conductor exposing parts located in the free end so that a mating connector can be engaged with the connector in the perpendicular direction.
According to a second aspect of the invention, the flat circuit is bent and deformed at a position of the desired length so as to form the free end at a side including the end edge.
According to the invention, the flat circuit is elastically deformable in the engaging direction of the connectors by forming the free end, and the mating connector can be tightly inserted until the mating connector is completely engaged with a stroke beyond an engaging stroke.
According to the second aspect of the invention, a position of the free end can be defined before the flat circuit is mounted. The free end can be engaged in the same manner as in the first aspect. A part not including the end edge can be fixed as a fixed part in the same manner as in the conventional structure.